NI sets up new strategy unit to develop digital products

The unit will be headed by Dominic Young, director of strategy and project development, who will report to Katie Vanneck, managing director of customer direct at News International. Vanneck reports to chief executive Rebekah Brooks.

Young is recruiting a team that will have a brief to develop a pipeline of products, with a digital focus, to support NI’s flagship newspaper brands – The Sun, News of the World, The Times and The Sunday Times.

There will be a focus on developing products around The Sun, the most profitable paper in the group, following the lead of innovations such as Sun Bingo.

Trivino – who hails from Spain and has been on secondment to News Limited in Sydney, News Corporation’s Australasian arm – is a well-regarded figure within NI and is also credited with redesigning the The Sunday Times.

News International confirmed the formation of the unit, but declined to comment further.

Last month, Media Week revealed that Mike Anderson, the former managing director of The Sun, is leaving the company to set up his own consultancy.

He will start the business with News International as its first client, advising on commercial and strategic decisions at The Sun in an effort to help it increase its revenue streams.